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DEFYING NATURE
Hi-Speed Rods & Customs Shows Us How to Make Fiberglass Rust
Author

Tommy Lee Byrd
Photography by Paul Martinez
The Appeal of Traditional Hot Rods
Traditional hot rods are all the rage, and while it’s a great experience to run across a true barn-find hot rod, some folks would rather make their own with the perfect blend of colors, textures, and just the right amount of sanding. It’s definitely a way to grab attention, as these so-called beaters steal the show from some of the finest rods around, but there’s no doubt lots of time and money is spent to obtain this look. And though some hot rodders scrounge to find parts and pieces to hang an old beater together, some high-end builders are taking the worn-and-weathered approach with their hot rods. Undoubtedly popular with most any hot rodder, the old-school look is now being transferred to fiberglass bodies, which means you get the look of old without actually worrying about rust and its effect on your car.
Hi-Speed Rods & Customs: Mastering the Patina
Hi-Speed Rods & Customs in Tucson, Arizona (520/623-1973), builds some serious hot rods in its 30,000-sq.-ft. facility, and the shop has a knack for adding patina to a car of any vintage, whether it’s steel or fiberglass. Johnny Vegas is the painter for Hi-Speed, and he knows his way around an old hot rod. While he’s laid down some gorgeous, show-winning paint jobs, he is also an expert when it comes to applying new paint that looks old. Vegas employs his own techniques to obtain a weathered appearance, and he’s not afraid to share his secrets, as he let us follow along for the entire process. The recipient of this custom paintwork is a ’34 Ford three-window coupe, but rather than starting with a rusty original, Vegas began with a slick fiberglass body. His technique produces outstanding results, and Vegas is very skilled with his pinstriping brushes, spray gun, and airbrush.
Transforming the Coupe: From Slick to Traditional
After spending a few days in the spray booth, Vegas completed the coupe and transformed it from just another street rod to a traditional hot rod that will grab tons of attention. Without question, this custom paintwork could fool anyone into thinking this is a barn-fresh coupe, but take a look at the process and you’ll see you don’t have to let your car sit in a barn for 40 years to get the same effect. All the guys at Hi-Speed Rods & Customs have their own specialties, but Vegas proved he belongs at the helm of a spray gun with his awesome skills. We can’t thank them enough for letting us follow along with the process, and we might even try it on one of our projects—well, since we’re not in Arizona, we don’t have to try to make our cars rusty.
Tips for Trying It Yourself
Either way, it’s interesting to see the coupe as it progresses from normal to outstanding, but we’re not suggesting you should tear your street rod apart to try this out. Try it on something small and see what happens, as it could take a while to complete an entire car. Whether you like real or artificial rust, you’ll like the way this coupe turned out, and you can check out more of Hi-Speed Rods & Customs’ work at www.hispeedcustoms.com if you want to take a look at its huge facility or some of the other projects. Now, unless you’re trying to remove the rust from your old car, get out in the garage and make your car look as though no one has touched it in 40 years.
Hi-Speed Also Likes To Shine
While Johnny Vegas and the guys at Hi-Speed Rods & Customs did an awesome job on this ’34 Ford coupe with its weathered-and-worn paint scheme, they do an excellent job with the shiny stuff, too. Hi-Speed is a well-rounded shop that creates a wide variety of vehicles, from the earliest hot rods to motorcycles and rail dragsters. Take a look at some of Hi-Speed’s other creations and see how they rack up next to the rusty ’34 Ford that was just finished. Whether it’s a traditional hot rod or a contemporary cruiser, Hi-Speed Rods & Customs builds a car with unmatched quality and an unmistakable personality. We like the wide variety of builds and the distinct styling that comes from the Hi-Speed shop. To see more photos of the shop, current project cars and completed cars, check out their website.
ARTICLE SOURCES

Hi-Speed Rods & Customs
829 East 17th Street
Tucson, Arizona 85719
(520) 623-1973